- Wright off: Chicago's Wright Community College, which...

December 07, 1989|By Mike Conklin.

- Wright off: Chicago`s Wright Community College, which vaulted to national prominence in the 1960s and `70s under future Bulls coach Ed Badger, is dropping men`s basketball. Coach Dennis Lewis says he doesn`t have enough eligible players. The coach plans to come back with a regular interscholastic program next season. In the meantime, Lewis plans to keep interest alive this winter by fielding a club team that`ll fulfill some schedule obligations. The competition won`t count in Skyway Conference or National Junior College Athletic Association statistics.

- Bare cupboard: Think the Bears aren`t going to miss competing in the playoffs? In the last five seasons under Mike Ditka, veteran players such as Mike Singletary, Matt Suhey, and Steve McMichael have pocketed a total of $120,000 in bonuses for their playoff performances. That averages to $24,000 per season.

- Net returns: Tennis great Ivan Lendl will return to Chicago next March to defend his Volvo championship in the Pavilion. The announcement will be made this week, but there`s no word on who else will compete in the 24-man field. Seiko will replace Sears as the presenting sponsor. ESPN, which televised last year`s tourney, is expected to do the same for the March 26-April 1 competition.

- Searching: The leading choice for Wisconsin`s soon-to-be vacant athletic directorship is said to be former Badger star Pat Richter, who`s a vice president with Oscar Mayer. Richter doesn`t sound too eager to make the jump, but Chancellor Donna Shalala has indicated she`s especially eager to hire him. Other names that have been popping up are ex-Packer star Willie Davis and ex- Badger hockey coach Bob Johnson. Meanwhile, Shalala is showing uncommon savvy for a university chancellor. In addition to spurring the search committee to get things finalized soon for both the AD and football vacancies because of recruiting, she`s written letters to every Wisconsin high school football coach asking for patience.

- On the move: Chicagoan Kevin Hickey`s big comeback season as an Orioles`

reliever last year means he won`t be returning to his winter job as a maitre`d at Ditka`s. ``He called the other day and said he had good news and bad news,`` said Jimmy Rittenberg, restaurant manager. ``He said the good news was that the Orioles asked him to stay around Baltimore during the off-season to do promotional work. That meant he`d probably be back with the big club next year. Then he said, `That also means I can`t come back to Chicago and work for you.` I told him I was still waiting to hear the bad news.``

- On the run: Ed Wakeham of Young Adult Marketing is organizing a mile run on Michigan Avenue for next June. He`s lined up Dominick`s and WGN as backers-and meets next week with another potential, major sponsor. The event would be held on a Sunday with the course starting south of the bridge before hanging a left into Grant Park. The inaugural run is more likely to be an open event, unlike the one-mile race held for elite runners on Michigan Avenue several years ago. - Residuals: Arizona State`s TV and newspaper advertising campaign promoting new basketball coach Bill Frieder comes inches shy of saying he led Michigan to last season`s NCAA championship. Here`s the Sun Devil pitch: ``It can happen. Head coach Bill Frieder won championships at Michigan. Now he`s shooting for more of the same at Arizona State.`` Wolverine AD Bo Schembechler fired Frieder before the NCAA playoffs started.

- Bull fever: The Bears` luncheons, a staple at several locations during football season, may soon be giving way to Bulls` luncheons. Expect word that Red Kerr`s Restaurant will host the weekly events, which haven`t been tried in the past. They`re likely to be held Mondays, complete with player appearances. . . . Michael Jordan`s ``Come Fly With Me`` video produced by NBA Entertainment-CBS Fox won the ``Best Sports Video`` competition at the third annual American Video Conference Awards.

- News, notes & nonsense: Joey Gilbert, only Illinois Class AA high school wrestler to win four state titles, plans to make his Chicago-area debut as a collegian in the Dec. 29-30 Midlands Tournament at Northwestern. The Andrew High grad is a freshman at Michigan. . . . Four Levy restaurants-Benchers Fish House, Mrs. Levy`s Delicatessen, Dos Hermanos, City Tavern-are offering free shuttle service for diners to the Stadium for Blackhawks and Bulls games on Mondays through Fridays. . . . Early Bird: Chip Beck, who withdrew from last summer`s Greater Milwaukee Open, already has committed to next year`s GMO, which will be Aug. 27-Sept. 2. . . . Approximately 9,000 tickets have been sold for the NCAA Women`s Final Four, scheduled for the University of Tennessee. The Division I Women`s Basketball Committee said it may change the format of the semifinals to attract more TV coverage.

- And finally: Here`s a football vacancy that offers a slice of history as a fringe benefit. Little Eureka College near Peoria, where former President Ronald Reagan lettered in football, is looking for a new head coach. Wonder if the new man will ask players to ``win one for the Gipper``?